Mentoring & Teacher Guidance

Guidance on the path

IMCW offers opportunities for you to access skilled guidance as you develop and deepen your practice. One-to-one teacher meetings can be arranged, or you may wish to sign up for our Mentoring Program, where you’ll be paired with an experienced meditator.

1:1 Teacher Guidance

Some IMCW teachers offer individual meetings with students, which can be helpful for addressing any issues arising in your practice. Sometimes, only one or two sessions are needed; other times, a longer-term relationship may be beneficial.

These sessions are offered on a dana (generosity) basis. Learn more about dana here. Talk with your teacher about the most convenient way to provide this.

Mentoring

Experienced meditation practitioners can help you enrich and deepen your practice, and navigate the challenges that naturally arise.

Whether you’re new to meditation or have been practicing regularly for a while, you may find working with a mentor to be welcome support on the path.

Mentors practice under the guidance of the IMCW Mentoring Program Coordinator, Catherine Flanagan.

FIND A MENTOR

FAQs

In-person, by phone, or via Zoom, by mutual accord.

Approximately one hour.

You begin with a short meditation to help you and your mentor arrive in presence. This can be either guided by your mentor or recorded.

You may explore what’s been going on in your meditation practice—an opportunity to examine difficulties you’ve encountered as well as insights and other fruits of practice that have emerged.

You might also explore how you can enhance your meditative experience through cultivating a daily practice, drawing on relevant books and audio resources, and attending retreats. Also your time can be spent on any aspect of meditation.

To end, you might discuss how to apply mindfulness practices to the challenges of your daily life.

  • Understanding the technique of Vipassana meditation
  • Working with challenging states that may arise when you meditate
  • Exploring how you can apply the principles of meditation in your daily life
  • Finding resources to support your continued practice

Sometimes you’ll find the perfect match. Sometimes it just isn’t there. If you find your relationship isn’t working you can end it at any time. If you have any questions, you can contact our mentoring program coordinator who might help you find a better match.

Mentoring is not psychotherapy, coaching, career counseling, or consulting. Your mentor is here to support you in your meditation practice. If in the course of your practice you need help that exceeds the qualifications of your mentor, your mentor will help you seek the professional, therapeutic or medical help you need.

In the Buddhist tradition, the teachings are given freely with the invitation for participants to offer voluntary donations to IMCW.

Please give any feedback to our mentoring program coordinator. Your feedback is most welcome.

As a mentor, you’ll be expected to:

  • Ask strategic questions
  • Be a skillful listener
  • Share the wisdom of your past experience
  • Offer productive feedback
  • Collaborate in designing a daily meditation practice for your mentee

And to meet the preliminary criteria:

  • Value Buddhist Vipassana (insight) meditation
  • An interest in helping others on the path
  • A daily sitting meditation practice for the past two years, minimum
  • Completion of at least one residential retreat or five daylong retreats in the past two years.

If you meet these criteria, please contact the Mentoring Coordinator.

IMCW Mentoring & Teacher Guidance, image of a Buddha statue